Shizuka Quiet
by Sparda219
Summary: Doumeki has always watched over Watanuki, content to show up and save him or just have his back, despite the fact that all he gets is scorn in return. That all changes when Shizuka is presented with an enticing offer from a mysterious spellcaster... SAi
1. The Job

Title: Shizuka: Quiet

Author: Sparda219

Summary: Doumeki is always there for Watanuki, always ready to help him and protect him and, in return, all he gets is scorn. One day, a strange man approaches him, with an enticing proposition...

The sunshine on Yuuko's peculiar homestead made the odd little house glow with a cheerful light. The sheer oddity of such a home in the middle of Tokyo never seemed to strike anyone, most likely a spell of Yuuko's, but Doumeki certainly always noticed. Must be those spiritual powers of his or something.

It had become a normal affair, and normal was as laughable a word as ever, to stop by Yuuko's and see what was going on. It was always more interesting than staying at his house all day when he didn't have to help around the shrine and besides that, Watanuki was always there after school. After wandering off to drop his things at the shrine and give a quick prayer for his grandfather, it was off to the shop.

"YUUKO-SAN! WHAT THE HELL? Why are these dust bunnies ALIVE?"

Ahhhhh. Sweet music. At least, Watanuki's screaming was always a source of amused pleasure for Doumeki. He always got himself into the most entertaining situations.

Without bothering to announce himself, the tall boy toed his shoes off at the front door and padded into the house. He followed the banging and screeching until he found the source of the commotion, an irritated Watanuki in his very cute bandana and apron. The bespectacled boy appeared to be battling against a small army of what seemed to be animated balls of dust and assorted fluff with tiny pointed ears. The duster flashed and a score of the little beasts met with a foul end. Doumeki experimentally aimed his foot over one of the stragglers and brought it down with a satisfying "ploof" noise. It was most decidedly done for.

"Interesting." 

At the low murmur, Watanuki spun about on his heel and pointed dramatically. Doumeki sighed internally.

'Here it comes.'

"DOUMEKI! What do you think you're—ARRRGH!"

The fuzzballs seemed to have regrouped and formed a second wave. Watanuki was toppled under them, a tangle of limbs under a sea of dust bunnies. Doumeki couldn't suppress his amused chuckle. Watanuki was tapping his fingers on the floor, quite annoyed with the state of his world and the bunnies appeared to be, well, PURRING. The little things were practically vibrating with delight.

"I don't need YOU laughing at me, Doumeki! What do you want anyway?" 

'Just to see you.'

Is what the big teenager would have liked to stay, but he settled for a non-committal shrug and a puff of air as if being there annoyed him, even if he chose to show up. Before Watanuki could continue his griping binge, a melodious voice pierced the musty air.

"Watanuki-kun! I've got another job for you!"

Yuuko Ichihara flounced from around the corner, staying carefully on the other side of the shoji door so as not to sully herself with the dust flittering about the room. It would be a tragedy to ruin her outfit after all. Today she was wearing a pattern Doumeki swore he saw on a race car once. Black blouse and shoes, but the dress had flames licking up the sides and Yuuko's long black locks were pinned up with picks that were shaped like fire.

"Oh, good. Doumeki-kun is here as well! Saves me a phone call. There's a VERY important wish we have to grant! I need the both of you to go. Doumeki can even provide his own bow, so I won't need to charge either of you extra!"

"Bow?" 

"Doumeki?" 

"Yes, and yes!"

Yuuko was positively bubbling over with happiness. Whatever her client was going to have to pay her, it was going to be ENORMOUS. The witch placed a finger on her lower lip, as if just realizing something. 

"Hmmm... Actually, now that I think of it, I will have to lend you something. Doumeki's power isn't going to be enough, not if it's as stubborn as he says it is."

Yuuko searched her person and produced a slip of paper and a pen, who knows where she was hiding them. Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she furiously wrote upon it, using long, powerful strokes. Afterwards, her customary smirk was replaced upon her features. She folded the slip and handed it to Doumeki.

"Here. It will adhere to your bow. Make sure not to miss, now. And don't worry, it's a cheap one!"

Doumeki sighed again. He knew as well as Watanuki that nothing of Yuuko's was EVER cheap. And that smile of hers was positively EVIL. The archer shook his head and proceeded back to his house.

"I'll be back here in half an hour."

The tall boy ran a hand through his messy hair and trudged back to his shoes. THIS was going to be yet another messy affair.

And back in the room, Watanuki stopped and once again pondered the purring mass resting on his back.

"Don't just leave me like this! Doumeki? Yuuko-san?"

And he was met with nothing but the sound of purring, living dust bunnies.

It had taken fifteen minutes to brush all of the dust out of his hair, and so Watanuki was in a rather foul mood. Doumeki simply endured the grumbling and simply enjoyed sitting next to Watanuki on the train. His bow was in its wrap and rested between them, and he patted his shirt pocket to make sure the slip of abnormal paper was still there. He didn't want to go and waste whatever it was he had to pay Yuuko with and lose it all of a sudden.

Their destination was some way out of the city and even into the country, so it was going to be a pretty long train ride. After a while, Doumeki started to realize that the low grumbling that had been his background noise over even that of the train had gradually stopped. He turned his head from his observation of the blurred surroundings and glanced down at the other boy. He really was too cute sometimes. 

Watanuki had fallen asleep. His head bounced gently with the rhythm of the train, tussling his soft, short black hair ever so slightly. His eyes were shut gently behind the glass panes of his spectacles and his lips were parted just a bit. Doumeki contented himself, during little moments like these, to just look for a while. He didn't dare go beyond looking. The boy already hated him enough just for existing, let alone for touching him or, dare he think it, kissing him in his sleep. A shadow of something like longing and desire crossed his dark eyes as he watched the sleeping figure, listening intently to his breathing and watching every flutter of his eyelids or scrunching of his brow.

And somewhere else on the train, painted lips smiled contentedly.

"Now I know his price."

Watanuki stretched and yawned as they stepped off the train.

"Ahhh. Good nap. Hey, it's an archery range."

Yuuko never did say where their job was going to be, just to get off at this stop and that their destination was right across the street. Doumeki was silent as always as the crossing light played its tune, wishing travelers safe passage across its street. He even seemed to be more pensive than usual.

"What's eating you, Doumeki?"

The other boy made a show of rolling his eyes as he was snapped from his half-depressed reverie.

"Che. Nothing you have to worry about."

"Whatever." 

The uneasy silence was broken as they reached the front gate of the range. A nervous looking boy about their age was standing there in an archery uniform. He had black hair cut short and was wearing wire-rimmed glasses, looks like he didn't even bother to change out of his hamaka and haori, odd. He fidgeted a bit as the duo reached the front steps.

"A-are you the guys that sensei hired?"

Watanuki just rose an eyebrow.

"Ummmm. I suppose we are, but..."

"GREAT!" 

The boy grabbed Watanuki by the shoulders and bowed at the same time. Doumeki's eyes narrowed warily.

"You've got to stop it! It just attacks out of nowhere. It almost got me! Good thing sensei warned me, though I don't know how he could see it. You've got to get rid of it, for the good of our archery club!" 

Watanuki sweatdropped slightly and patted the boy on the back reassuringly. Doumeki felt a little sour jealousy creep into him at the simple act of reassurance. He shook his head slightly to clear it.

'Keep it together, Shizuka. Don't lose your cool when there's a job to do.' 

"Don't worry, now. I'm Watanuki and this is... Doumeki. We're the guys your sensei sent for. Whatever's in there, we'll get it."

The other boy bowed and thanked the pair profusely, then stood aside and let the two other boys in. Despite all of his reassuring talk, Doumeki could see the nervousness creep into Watanuki's stance. He even jumped when Doumeki put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't get scared. Just tell me where to shoot."

"Who's scared? I'm not scared!"

"Suuuuure." 

Doumeki drawled as he undid the button on the top of his bow sheath. He slid the weapon out and carefully, reverently, strung it. As he prepared the bow in the small anteroom, the boys heard someone on the range, the thunk of arrows hitting a target was as clear as day.

"S-say. Wasn't this place abandoned a minute ago."

"Well, we are supposed to have a target or something."

Doumeki stood, bow at the ready. He stepped forward and slammed open the shoji door that led to the range, his eyes sweeped left and right, but he couldn't spot whatever it was that was shooting earlier. Watanuki stepped past him and proceeded towards a firing position. 

"Hello there."

There was an older teenage boy there, tall and strong and handsome looking, with light brown hair that was slightly spiked. He held a bow loosely in one hand and was wearing a fine blue haori and red hakama. He smiled at Watanuki as the boy drew close and had a small blush on his face.

"Oh, Takaru! Wh-what are you doing here so late?"

Watanuki was confused, and Doumeki was even more confused. Who in the hell was Watanuki talking to?

"Well, I'm not Takaru. My name is..."

"Takaru? What's wrong with you? Why are you doing this?"

Watanuki drew back in surprise as the handsome boy stepped forward, looking scared and angry. It was as if the ghost was fast-forwarding through his memories. And it did not look like things came to a good conclusion. In another violent mood swing, the boy reached out and began throttling Watanuki. Doumeki's eyes widened in horror as Watanuki grabbed at something that wasn't there and gasped for breath that didn't come as he was raised into the air.

"WHY? WHY DID YOU DO IT? I give you my heart, you told me you loved me and for WHAT? So you could deny it to save face? So you could break my heart and let those guys find me and try and KILL ME?"

Watanuki tried to scream in horror from a closed windpipe as cuts erupted with blood all over the apparition's body. The immaculate hakama and haori suddenly blossoming crimson blood flowers and bruises darkening across his face and arms, the handsome ghost suddenly looked like a gruesome parody of what he once was. Bloodstained teeth were bared in a snarl of heated rage and claret soaked brown locks plastered to his forehead over hateful dark eyes.

"I LOVED you Takaru! And now we'll DIE together!"

Doumeki ripped the button from his shirt pocket as he reached into it for the paper slip. Unsure of what to do, he just presented the slip to his bow, where it practically jumped from his hand to wrap around and melt into the bowstring. The string began to glow, and Doumeki got the distinct feeling that it was going to pack a SERIOUS punch. He raised the bow, trying to figure out where to fire from the way Watanuki grasped the air. The choked whimpers he made locked a cold vice around Doumeki's heart, and his eyes hardened.

'Now or never. This must be what Yuuko-san meant by 'don't miss.' I won't!"

With a shout of violent determination, Doumeki released the string with a sharp twang, and a beam of pure spiritual force left it with such intensity that even Doumeki himself could see it. The beam slammed into thin air.

"O-only wanted YOU. Takaru. Only... you..."

The ghost's eyes rolled back into its head as it dissolved from the blast, slowly disappearing into nothingness. Its hands faded away and Watanuki slammed into the wooden floor of the archery range, gasping desperately for air, hands twisted into the front of his shirt. His vision was blurred and he could hardly hear anything. He felt himself pressed to something warm and broad, supported by caring arms. He could barely hear the whispers of comfort entering his ears through warm breaths, but it helped all the same. His breathing gradually slowed, a large hand patting his back and another cradling his head as he spilled tears into Doumeki's shirt.

After a short sobbing fit, Watanuki stopped crying and suddenly tensed. 

"Let GO OF ME!"

Doumeki was the stronger of the two, but he was so startled that he let go anyway. Watanuki stood quickly, utterly mortified at the position he was just in. He rubbed his eyes roughly and turned on his heel to start walking towards the door.

"Well? We're done here, right? Let's get going."

Doumeki wanted to tell him to slow down, that he still needed rest. He wanted to tell him that he was worried and why the hell didn't he just tell him to shoot in the first place? He wanted to say anything, really. But he just couldn't find the voice.

The trip back was nearly unbearable, the silence heavy and uncomfortable. When they got back to Tokyo they walked until they reached the crossroad where Doumeki had to split off to get to the temple. After a curt bow from Watanuki, the two parted ways.

Doumeki got halfway home before his frustration overflowed. He suddenly stopped, dropped his bow and punched the wall next to him, probably startling the people who lived on the other side. He groaned in emotional pain and leaned heavily against the wall.

"Why. Why can't he love me back? Can nothing I do ever be enough? Can nothing I do make him look away from Himawari and look at ME?" 

"Actually. There certainly is something you can do."

Doumeki looked up, startled at the man who suddenly appeared as if from nowhere. His eyes narrowed at his strange appearance. He was wearing a robe with a wide collar in a myriad of colors. His face was deathly pale, most likely with makeup, and his lips and eyelids were painted blue. He reminded Doumeki of some kind of evil onmyouji from those movies, all fancy and painted up like a clown.

"Who are you?"

The man's sapphire painted lips spread wide in a smile. His dull black hair was down to his waist and held in a high ponytail, turned a sickly color by the yellow streetlamps.

"I, Shizuka dear, am your wishgranter."

Somewhere across town, Yuuko shivered.

Onmyouji- A Japanese spellcaster based on the Shinto faith.

There's chapter one down. Thanks to my beta Kiki!


	2. The Temptation

Title: Shizuka: Quiet

Author: Sparda219

Summary: Doumeki is always there for Watanuki, always ready to help him and protect him and, in return, all he gets is scorn. One day, a strange man approaches him, with an enticing proposition...

A/N: Thanks to all my kind reviewers! And sorry for the wait. .

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Chapter 2: The Temptation

The clownish figure extended a hand with ridiculous long nails, painted to match his cerulean lips. Doumeki honestly didn't think he'd seen a worse cross-dresser.

"Sorry, man. I don't go for transvestite prostitutes. Try some other guy."

The archer carefully sidestepped the man, but was stopped when his taloned hand fell upon his shoulder. It wasn't that the freak was strong, because you can at least struggle against strength, this was a different kind of hindrance alltogether. As if he didn't WANT to move, even though he did.

"I'll try not to take that as an insult, young Shizuka."

"It's pretty damn familiar of you to call me by my first name."

The freak's smirk could be felt, an amused sensation rippling across Doumeki's flesh uncomfortably. It was almost like he was feeling whatever this clown felt, but in a dulled, surface fashion.

"I find it amusing that you thought of that before you thought to ask why it is I knew your name in the first place. And like I said, I'm your wishmaster, I know more about you than you'd care to realize. I'm here to propose a symbiotic relationship between us, you scratch my back I'll scratch yours, that kind of deal."

Doumeki rolled his eyes.

"Feh. What could you possibly offer me? I'm happy enough."

The man GIGGLED. It was a grating, high-pitched noise that sent unpleasant shivers up and down the archer's spine.

"I'm sorry about that! Lies always tickle my fancy! TEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!"

In a sudden mood swing, the man stopped his giggle and set his face.

"No, my son. You are NOT happy. There is someone you desire! Someone you've come to love! Such a selfless love you have, you'd rather see him happy then have him for yourself, rather protect him and have him hate you than see him come to even the most minute harm. I see it all so clearly."

Doumeki blanched. This guy, whoever he was, was rolling the archer's desires off his tongue as if he were quoting his favorite novel. The clawed hand that was gripping his shoulder released him and suddenly his body could move under it's own power. Doumeki spun around immediately to hold his hands up in a defensive kata.

"Apparently YOUR vision is still clouded! What is this fear? Does it taste like rejection with the scent of society's eye? Ohhhhh... The age-old fear of being a boy in love with another boy. Part of you says it's too natural to be wrong, the other part whispers doubts into your ear. What would your dead grandfather think? Would it cause troubles for Watanuki? It's not like you can get married and start a family, where would your family line go? What you must do, Shizuka-kun, is throw away the harsh tongue of the masses and accept the PURITY of your own desire! Here... Let me show you!"

The clown smiled widely and raised a hand in Doumeki's direction. The boy knew enough of the supernatural to know that that gesture and the words spouting from his lips in some ancient form of Japanese were obviously magical in nature. He tried to steel himself against the oncoming spell, but it was fruitless.

At first, it was subtle. The words slipped between the cracks in his mind, a disturbing intrusion. The feeling intensified, the sensation of widening, his brain being pried open and things being forced in it. It was like rape. That's what it was, a mind rape. Suddenly, Doumeki's body seized as all the muscles in his body locked, the large frame crashing to the ground.

The foreign feeling sweeped over his again, the clownish CREATURE'S amusement rippling over him in a nauseating wave, peppered through with something like sick arousal. And then, every feeling left him. It was like an icy void, a nothingness of the heart, lonliness and pain and numbness. It was... blank. It was a world without grandfather's memory, without Himawari's simple innocence and Yuuko's strange wisdom. Worst of all, it was a world with no Watanuki, none of his sweet fire and verve, his sour attitudes or his kind smiles.

And then it was full. The emptiness replaced with something exponentially growing. It was like pleasure, but was helpless and wanton. The growing buds of ecstasy that suddenly flowered into bloom, a warm blanket of loving pressure.

Before his eyes was a vision witnessed only in dreams. Kimihiro's sweet voice, whispering his name his slightly plaintive fingers digging into his back as the other boy settled into his lap. Doumeki, hiding his face in his love's neck as silken warmth surrounded him. The world burst with sparks of desire, colours of lust and the warm, wet kisses of love that were Shizuka's lips on Kimihiro's collarbone. Wide, powerful palms running over his thin, pale back. The other boy's thin, elegant and strong fingers pressing bruises into his shoulders as he growled in half-pain. Shizuka's almost embarassed whisper of apology was muffled by the other's skin, but it was still heard and the grip let up,

Gentle rocking, like the waves upon the shore. No, it was more like the licking of flames up a bonfire; stoking and bright, but comforting and intimate. A cry of intense ecstasy and the tightening of silk, the answering growl, groan and low keen and muscle tightening beyond flesh and into steel. And then it was cold and wet and shizuka was left catching his breath, panting like a wanton whore on the concrete sidewalk while a sideshow freak giggled his delight over his supine frame.

Somehow, while Doumeki was caught in the illusion, it had begun to rain. Though it was a clear summer night before, it was now cool and the rain pelted the earth relentlessly. The clown was disturbingly bone dry. A quote from his grandfather sprang unbidden to his mind.

'The rain will never fall where it knows it cannot wash the world clean.'

"Well. Did that enlighten you a bit? Did you like your little trip, Shizuka-kun?"

Doumeki brought a shaky hand to his face, feeling warm tears mixed with the cold rain. His trembling body curled in on itself.

"I----I--- I w---"

His voice froze in his throat and a sob worked it's way up from the depths of his soul. The archer couldn't understand why he was crying. It just started and wouldn't stop, but it was horrible. It was like he was clutching what he has always wanted in his arms, and then it was yanked away from him, shattering in a thousand pieces. But then, that was the nature of illusion. The boy made a decision right there on the cold hard ground, clutching the hem of the magician's robe, still breathing hard from his sobbing fit.

"I w-want him. I want Watanuki Kimihiro's heart. Nothing less will do."

The clown, no rain marring his emaciated figure, bent down close enough that Doumeki could smell mint and something like incense on his breath.

"And what will you do, Shizuka-kun, in order to get what it is you desire?"

Doumeki's answer was so final and true that it frightened him.

"Anything."

A taloned hand patted the side of his face that wasn't pressed into the ground.

"That's what I like to hear. I'll give you my conditions tomorrow evening. You're tired and scared right now, I want to give you time to adjust to your enlightenment..."

The nameless magician kissed Doumeki's cheek and his almost frigid breath sent fearful chills down the archer's spine.

"...and to change out of those pants."

A hand pressed into the crotch of his jeans, alerting him to a cooling wetness settled there and the man giggled again. The magician left, Doumeki curled in tighter and proceeded to cry out his misery...

---------------------------

Mokona waddled his way up to his mistress and tugged on her kimono sleeve.

"Are you cold Yuuko? Mokona should have Watanuki warm some sake!"

The space-time witch shook her head.

"No, that's not it. I can't be sure what happened, but I feel as if a Grudge has been put into motion. A powerful one, and it's gunning for me."

The raven haired lady shook her head slightly and smirked again.

"Well, Mokona. Let's enjoy our gyoza and beer for now! Whomever has set this Grudge obviously has no idea what they're getting into! Ohohohohohohoho!"

Still, a spot in the witch's heart refused to abandon it's frozen state...


	3. The Pact

Shizuka: Quiet

A/N: Thank you to all my supporters and readers! It was because of you that I found the drive and inspiration to write again after three whole monts of absence. I'll be sure to answer a bit more quickly next time.

And once again, thank you all very much!

Chapter 3: The Pact

"What do I do?"

There was a place that everyone had when they needed to think, a place that brought calm and center and washed away the worries of the world. For Doumeki, that was his shrine's memorial room where his grandfather's picture lay. The altar was immaculate, cleaned by Doumeki every day and fresh flowers were plentiful, camellia and lily, placed there by his mother because the old man loved to plant them. Heavy incense mingled with the clean scent of Shizuka's shampoo as he sat meditatively on his knees.

Hands on knees, chin up and eyes closed he could almost picture his grandfather asking him what was wrong. The old man could somehow always read him, even when his parents never could, a fact that both annoyed him and he was infinitely grateful for. If he had the same powers as Watanuki, who knows? Maybe he really was...

"Everything he said was true, all of it. Maybe... maybe this will be able to make me happy?"

He dropped his face from the ceiling, opening his eyes and training them on the hands tightening into fists on his knees. They seemed like such good strong hands, Doumeki thought to himself. Wide and long fingered, but thick with muscle. Dextrous enough to grasp the bowstring firmly, and strong enough to hold it back for hours if necessary. And yet, when he pulled and grasped at the desire he felt, they couldn't hold purchase for even one second. And when he thought of the strange man, the magician, they trembled as if they couldn't hold up a child's kodama. After a few more minutes of thinking in the sacred place, he came to the conclusion that even if he decided not to go tomorrow night, he would go one day and there was no point in delaying fate.

He let out a sigh, resigned. He stood, blowing out the candles he lit and leaving the incense to finish it's cycle.

"Thanks for listening, jii-san."

He shuffled up to bed, strangely empty for all the thinking he had done...

--------------------------------------------

The next day plodded on as all days do. Get up, shower again as if he'd ever feel clean after the previous night, go to school. Normally, Doumeki floated through his day with a sense of bored detachment, as if nothing was good enough to draw his attention for very long. Today there was a heaviness in his aura that was almost palpable. His classmates edged from his a bit, whispering to each other "What could be wrong? Poor Doumeki-san..."

The tension and pressure came to a head that lunchtime. Watanuki hunted out his friend/rival/enemy/partner and presented him with his bento lunch, as usual. Wrapped in a blue hanky with carefully arranged rice and shrimps and those damn chestnuts that he had to take a bus to the specialty foods store to buy and roast to the archer's liking, it was pretty as a picture and Watanuki's pride as ever.

It was a secret victory, he felt, over the larger boy. He might have been taller and stronger and better in sports and more popular and... LOTS of stuff, but he couldn't cook worth a damn! So, even if he complained, he always brought him lunch and that was CERTAINLY the only reason. Not because he enjoyed preparing food for Doumeki of course, naturally, because that could never, EVER be the case.

The archer was found beneath a tree, odd that he was isolated when he usual stood out like a sore thumb so that he could drag Watanuki up to the roof to eat. The shade dappled over his tan flesh, making parts of it look almost sickly and his eyes were blank in a way that wasn't typical Doumeki, they were more focused in than anything. It was strange and Watanuki didn't particularly like the vibe it gave him, but stopped worrying when he realized that the big idiot would forget all about it after the first bite.

Watanuki thrust Doumeki's bento out at him with a dramatic sigh.

"Food."

There was a moment of silence and Watanuki shook the bento a bit as if it would draw the archer's attention.

"Hello? FOOD. The FOOD I made for you and even the damn nuts I had to take the bus and switch over TWICE to get, I'll have you know. And don't think it makes you special or anything."

Watanuki felt a little better about being ignored after his rant, but that feeling was quickly subsumed by worry as the archer remained silent and unmoving. This was certainly NOT Doumeki.

"Doumeki? What's wrong? Don't tell me you got your soul eaten AGAIN."

It was said as a jest, naturally, the kind of thing that would spark a familiar argument. The way that Doumeki's eyes slid over him as if he wasn't there was even more disturbing because of it.

"Oh. Hi Himawari."

The cute teen had bounced her way over to the pair, curiously without her customary yell and wave of cheery greeting. She was frozen in place a few steps away from the pair, her body frozen by the invisible tension running through the air.

"Ummm... Doumeki-kun? Watanuki-kun? Is there something wrong?"

Watanuki wanted to bring it up again, but couldn't in front of Himawari. It felt like the kind of thing they would have to sort out later... Even Himawari's sparkling presence couldn't banish the worry plaguing him. He supposed it was just his nature to care about even his worst enemy, but there just wasn't something RIGHT about the archer. Almost as if he were... tainted somehow.

"N-nothing, Himawari-chan! Here, sit down and share my cream croquettes!"

"Oh... okay!"

Lunch proceeded as usual, but Doumeki remained silent. Watanuki was unwilling to bring anything up, and Himawari wisely spoke only to Watanuki as she assumed he knew more about Doumeki than anyone else anyway and if there was something she could have done, he would have let her know.

The end of lunch saw a lonely tree, with a pair of chopsticks stabbed into the ground between it's roots like a funeral stone.

--------------------------

"What happened back there?"

Watanuki caught his rival after school behind the archery range. It was convenient as no one was there and it was on the way to Doumeki's club, so Kimihiro had known where to waylay him.

Blue eyes narrowed a bit and Watanuki scowled.

"Did you hear me? I want to know what happened. Why the hell did you treat me as if I didn't exist? What's wrong?"

Doumeki mumbled something and brushed past the slighter boy, sho grabbed onto his elbow.

"Hey! What was that?"

"I said... You wouldn't understand yet."

Doumeki pulled free of the other boy's grip and, when he was grabbed again as he turned around, he pushed the other boy to the ground almost violently.

"Ow! What the HELL, Doumeki?"

Watanuki's face was mingled with both anger and fear, Doumeki tore away from the sight.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll find out."

He disappeared around the corner, away from his club meeting and Watanuki could only stare after him, oddly unable to move...

-----------------------------

Shizuka knew he was there. He had been ready to go to the street where the magician first showed up, but suddenly realized that it wasn't necessary as a wave of something like triumph rolled over his skin.

"Excellent. Are we ready to make a deal?"

Doumeki spun around in his desk chair, face set in stone.

"What do I have to do."

The clown produced a slip of paper, not unlike the one Yuuko had given him before, and held it out to him.

"Just press this to your heart, and repeat after me word for word. Ready?"

He pressed the paper to his chest, wrinkling it around the edges and dampening it with sweat.

"I, Doumeki Shizuka..."

"I, Doumeki Shizuka..."

A curious heat rose from the paper, and a pulse ran through him...

"Do hearby pledge myself to Azato Hisoka."

"Do hearby pledge myself to Azato Hisoka."

The arcane text glowed and it felt hot in his hand...

"For the fair exchange of one life for another."

"For the fair exchange of one life for another."

A sharp pain ran through him, but he grit his teeth and continued.

"And the power to fulfill my duty, until my pact is complete."

"And the power to fulfill my duty, until my pact is complete. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Doumeki was suddenly holding onto nothing and it was like a knife, a knife of fire and scorn and hate and a thousand sharp-edged words and it plunged into his body and wrapped around his heart and his shirt was in ruins from the massive, raw POWER given off. It was strength distilled, spiritual power forced into him. Doumeki fell to his floor, back arching from the carpet as a tatto seared it's way across the flesh of his chest and stomach. A wave of massive pressure pressed down around him and he realized that it was HIS pressure.

"Oh GOD."

Hisoka the clown smirked.

"Nothing to do with god."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGH!"

Doumeki slammed his fists into the ground next to him and arched his back as another SCREAM ripped it's way out of his throat and he wondered how is neighbors didn't hear it as his parent were away. The screams encompassed his world and his fists had gone THROUGH his floor and the carpet was scorching away from the power surging out of him.

The window behind Hisoka exploded outward, but the clown just smiled away and stared at Doumeki. His muscles rippled beneath his flesh and his handsome face was letting out screams that seemed to tear it in half, and the aura of blue around him was so beautiful. The man bit at his overlong nails, his eyes bulging and grin widening in mad glee. He giggled mercilessly right up until the glow faded and receded into his new charge's body. The room was ashambles, all scorched and blasted. The clown waved his hand and nonchalantly restored it to it's former order, glass in the window and holes out of the floor and all.

For the second time in as many days, Doumeki laid prone beneath that wicked smiling face.

"Good, wasn't it? And now you have both the power and the obligation to do what it is I require of you. In return, Watanuki Kimihiro will belong to you, heart, mind, soul... and BODY. HEEHEEHEE!"

The boy stared at his ceiling.

"The ofuda knows what I want you to do."

The boy stared at the ceiling.

"Take your bow with you, and use the power I have given you well, my son.

The boy stared at his ceiling, and nodded, and felt so damn GOOD.

"Yes, sensei."

"Delightful."

The magicial leapt out the window, no trace of his passing remained.

Doumeki sat up, then stood slowly, moving to perch on the end of his bed.

"I can do anything. I can fucking do ANYTHING."

And he knew precisely what he had, and wanted to do...

-------------------------

Yuuko sat pensively, sprawled gracefully across her seat in the main room of the shop as usual. Watanuki had been so quiet in his diligence that day, when he would have been cooing over Himawari or fuming over work or grumbling about something Doumeki did in that sweet way he had. There was something terribly wrong, something MASSIVELY wrong and it wasn't just HERE. Yuuko sensed something on the periphery of her spiritual senses. It was deadly and focused.

And it was coming for her.


End file.
